11 Ways to Motivate Yourself to Go to the Gym

iStock

Being active has many benefits, everything from heart health to sleep quality to brain function, but knowing it’s good for you doesn’t always mean it’s easy to go to the gym. If you’ve been having trouble getting into a workout routine, take a look at a few proven methods for getting off the couch and breaking a sweat.

1. DRESS FOR A WORKOUT, EVEN IF YOU’RE NOT FEELING UP TO IT.

In many ways, pulling on a sweatshirt or a pair of yoga pants is even more important than heading out the door to go to the gym. Research has suggested that our brains are susceptible to “enclothed cognition,” a technical way of saying that dressing for the part can help fuel your ambition to complete a chosen task. If you’re in full workout gear, you’re far more likely to head out the door.

2. MAKE A COMMITMENT WITH A FRIEND.

It can be helpful to have an accountability partner, so make plans to have a joint workout with a friend. Feeling that someone else is counting on you to attend will make it less likely you’ll skip the session. Even better, seeing your friend perform—running a longer distance or lifting heavier weights—may also give you the motivation to push yourself, and you can share tips and celebrate each other’s progress.

3. MAKE A PLAN.

If you’re just looking to get active, there’s nothing wrong with going to a gym and investing time in whatever equipment or activity strikes your fancy. But the downside of those aimless visits is that skipping them doesn’t feel like you’re impeding progress toward a goal. After a break-in period, it’s best to imagine a finish line—losing weight, increasing endurance, adding muscle, or a mixture of each—and focus your energy on working toward it.

4. GO EARLY.

By getting up early in the morning and heading to the gym before you start your day, you’ve successfully avoided the eight to 10 hours you’d be able to talk yourself out of going. Exercising can be energizing, making it an ideal morning routine—but if you wait, you might feel too tired to go. Getting out of bed may be tough those first few mornings, but once you’ve established a rhythm, you’ll be glad you did.

5. CHANGE YOUR ROUTINE.

Even if you’re a creature of habit, repeating the same exercises over and over can become monotonous. To avoid boredom, try re-arranging their order or substituting alternatives—an incline bench press, for example, instead of a flat bench. By switching things up, you’ll keep both your body and mind invested in the activity. (And you can always return to your regular routine later.)

6. VISUALIZE SUCCESS.

Visualization is an athletic tool that’s been used for decades. By closing your eyes and imagining what it would look and feel like to achieve a goal or to complete an exercise, we can prepare ourselves physically and psychologically for the task at hand. If you’re dragging your feet or considering skipping a workout, try sitting down for a few minutes to visualize how you’d feel if you went to the gym and how it would bring you one step closer to your goal.

7. DON’T OVER-PROMISE.

Having goals, even lofty ones, is key to anything you want to achieve in life. But if you decide you want to have the proportions of a fitness model by August or jump from a 5K to a three-hour marathon time, you may be setting yourself up for disappointment. Make sure the bar is reachable—even if it means aiming for just 15 minutes on a bike—so you’re not overwhelmed. Don’t forget to celebrate the smaller milestones along the way!

8. GET RID OF OBSTACLES.

Maybe something is impeding your gym trip. Is the coffeemaker not working, sapping you of the crucial caffeine jolt you like before a workout? Do you not like your gym’s location or their fitness class instructors? Don’t wait until you can use roadblocks to excuse a missed session. Take action to resolve the problem so you have a clear and unobstructed path toward your goals.

9. CONSIDER A TRAINER.

Certified fitness instructors add to the cost of your workout, but they can also add a lot of tangible value. An expert can design a program based on your goals, show you how to use equipment, and provide tips on nutrition. You may find you don’t need their assistance for long, but having them present while you start out could compel you to stick with it.

10. LOG YOUR WORKOUTS.

By recording distances, weights, and other objective milestones in your fitness journey, you’ll be able to see progress on paper. That record can come in handy when you’re feeling uninspired or lethargic. Referencing a time when you could only run a half-mile, for example, might motivate you to stick with it because you’re now accustomed to running two or three.

11. TAKE TIME TO RECOVER.

You may feel like hitting the gym every day leaves no room for laziness. Eventually, you’re going to discover that your body’s desire for rest will trump your iron will, and you may find yourself going days or weeks without breaking a sweat. It’s better to build in some recovery time, whether that means doing nothing or just temporarily turning your activity level down. That way, you’ll avoid being too tired to tackle your next session.

Staying motivated to go to the gym can be tough. But ﬁnding the right credit card doesn’t have to be. Discover Card automatically matches the cash back you earn, dollar for dollar, at the end of your ﬁrst year. Visit Discover to learn more.

This Smart Accessory Converts Your Instant Pot Into an Air Fryer

If you can make a recipe in a slow cooker, Dutch oven, or rice cooker, you can likely adapt it for an Instant Pot. Now, this all-in-one cooker can be converted into an air fryer with one handy accessory.

This Instant Pot air fryer lid—currently available on Amazon for $80—adds six new cooking functions to your 6-quart Instant Pot. You can select the air fry setting to get food hot and crispy fast, using as little as 2 tablespoons of oil. Other options include roast, bake, broil, dehydrate, and reheat.

Many dishes you would prepare in the oven or on the stovetop can be made in your Instant Pot when you switch out the lids. Chicken wings, French fries, and onion rings are just a few of the possibilities mentioned in the product description. And if you're used to frying being a hot, arduous process, this lid works without consuming a ton of energy or heating up your kitchen.

The lid comes with a multi-level air fry basket, a broiling and dehydrating tray, and a protective pad and storage cover. Check it out on Amazon.

For more clever ways to use your Instant Pot, take a look at these recipes.

At Mental Floss, we only write about the products we love and want to share with our readers, so all products are chosen independently by our editors. Mental Floss has affiliate relationships with certain retailers and may receive a percentage of any sale made from the links on this page. Prices and availability are accurate as of the time of publication.

The 5 Best Financial Gifts You Can Give Yourself This Holiday Season

Jirapong Manustrong/iStock via Getty Images

Between the gifts, parties, and other obligations of the holiday season, it might seem like smarter financial choices will have to wait. But just because you’re spending a little more than usual doesn’t mean you can’t put your financial planning into sharper focus. To help you get started, here are the best financial gifts you can give yourself this holiday season to prepare for a great 2020 and beyond, presented by Discover and Mental Floss. There are small steps you can take immediately to give your finances a boost, like using the Discover it card, which rewards you on every purchase you make with the card. And then there’s long-term planning, like retirement funds, that will help solidify your financial future.

1. Learn how to budget your money.

Plenty of people set spending limits on home expenses, entertainment, clothing, and other expenditures. But sometimes, these amounts need adjusting, especially as life and financial situations change over time. Consider sitting down at the end of the month and examining where all of your money went—from there you can spot unnecessary spending and find ways to fix it.

2. Take advantage of your credit card rewards.

Cash back, mileage, or promotional interest offers—credit cards offer a variety of incentives, but not everyone takes the time to analyze the offers. Don’t let free money pass you by—look into what rewards programs your card offers and take advantage of these financial gifts that are just waiting for you. With the Discover it card, for example, you can earn rewards on every purchase you make. Plus, Discover matches all the cash back you earn at the end of your first year! It’s unlimited, too, so those weekly coffees you’re trying to fit into your budget can be paid for by money you’ve already earned. Learn more at Discover.com/match.

3. Evaluate your insurance coverage.

Some of us secure home or car insurance and then never think about it again. It’s better to assess your coverage periodically to make sure you’re financially protected for things that are important and consider gap coverage if your policy is lacking. It’s better to spend a little more in policy premiums now than be hit with an unforeseen hardship later. Alternately, you might find your premiums can be lowered owing to a new home improvement project, like new water pipes or an updated roof.

4. Start a retirement plan.

Don’t fall into the trap of putting off retirement savings until you snag a salary increase or reduce expenses. Every year you fail to feed a 401(k), IRA, Roth IRA, or other nest egg means one less year you’ll accrue in your pursuit of saving for life after work. Remember that your employer may offer matching and tax-deferred options for diverting some of your income. Don’t wait for the “perfect” time to learn how to start a retirement fund—the sooner, the better.

5. Save for big purchases.

It can be hard to save money—it involves careful planning, a realistic strategy, and most importantly, cutting back a bit. But the benefits far outweigh the negatives. So if you don’t have one already, set up a savings account this holiday season and start putting some money away every month. It doesn’t even have to be you that does it—ask your bank or employer’s payroll department if they can set up an automated process to save the money for you. So next time you have your eye on a big trip or want to buy a new 4K television, you’ll have a nest egg waiting to pay for it. And big purchases lead to big cashback bonuses, so be sure to take advantage whenever you can.

You can take one step to financial stability with the Discover it® Card—which automatically matches all the cash back you earn, dollar for dollar, at the end of your first year. Learn more at Discover.com/match.